[65gtfastback]

Now that I'm in my fourth day of ownership and have changed the water pump, fuel pump and thermostat, I have a new puzzle to solve. During a rare moment when I was driving it rather than working on it, the horn button on my wooden Grant wheel popped off. As I tried to stick it back on it arced against the steel spoke and burned a couple of nice little holes.
Now my left brake light only works for sure when the right turn signal is on, or only sometimes when it's not. I used to be able to turn on the fog lights without the headlights or parking lights if the engine was on, but now they'll only work if the others are on. The tail lights used to come on with the fogs, but now they also only work with the headlights or parking lights. Help! I found a tiny little fuse box on the kick panel, but the fuses were all OK.
PS. I don't know if it's related, but the ammeter was bouncing around at first when I drove it again tonight.
Thanks Paul.

 

[Midlife]

Ten to one you'll have to replace the turn signal switch under the steering wheel.

 

[Doug67]

Good ol' Grant steering wheel. Solve this problem permanently with a Lecarra wheel. http://www.lecarra.com/

 

[65gtfastback]

Thanks for the info midlife. I cleaned the fuse box contacts, then took the wheel off and the signal switch apart to take a look. It's the original switch and when I played with it the left brake light started working again. The foglight/rear light combo now work on their own again (now even without the engine on!), without the headlights being on. When I reassembled it the left brake light started working intermittently again.
Two questions from this vintage newbie if you would be so kind:
1: What does the independent operation of the foglight/rear light combo have to do with the signal switch? (they never stopped working with the headlight/parking light switch at on)
2: Is the left brakelight problem really in the switch, or do I have a bad ground, or connection somewhere else and it is going through the switch to complete the circuit?
Thanks again for your help.
Paul

 

[Midlife]

If it's the oriiginal switch, I'd recommend replacing it. The contacts get worn and corroded over time, and begin to act intermittently. Note carefully the back side: does any of the rivets possibly hit the steering column? Repro's do, so I recommend a piece of black electrical tape back there as insulation.

As for your problems: I suspect pressure applied by the steering wheel may be causing intermittent problems, but can't be sure. Foglight/rear light combo go through the headlight switch, and it doesn't interact with the turn signal switch. Brake lights come through the headlight switch, then through the brake switch, then to the signal switch and out to the tailights.

I'm beginning to suspect the headlight switch, but you didn't fiddle with it, did you?

 

[65gtfastback]

Thanks for your quick response.
I spent the better part of last night under that dash (found a 1968 dime!) I removed the fog light switch for inspection (didn't unplug) and unscrewed the fuse box for better access to clean the contacts. I changed all the fuses with the correct ratings except the tinny one in the center (didn't have one) As mentioned I also took the signal switch out to inspect. I didn't touch the headlight switch, but I was sure moving all the wiring around to check things out. I'll pull the wheel off again to check for shorts at the rivets and see if the brake light works again with the wheel off . Thanks again for the help.
Paul.